Mass deportation of Bangladeshi workers from some countries in the Middle-East (M-E) has started with sending back of 430 workers on last Friday and Sunday. Besides, 121 workers are scheduled to be repatriated from Kuwait today (Monday).
Oman deported 292 Bangladeshi workers on Friday by a special flight of Oman Air, and Bahrain deported 138 workers on Sunday. Kuwait is starting deportation from today by sending back 121 workers by Gulf Air, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said.
Saudi Arabia sent back 168 detaineed Bangladeshi workers earlier this month by a flight carrying Umrah pilgrims.
Most of these workers were in jails and detention camps for various illegal activities. But the country has started deporting them through granting amnesty since the coronavirus outbreak.
All these host countries are going to deport more workers phase by phase, the officials also said.
Kuwait has already sent a list of 4,428 Bangladeshis, whom they want to deport immediately.
The number of deportees in the first phase will be around 15,000, they added.
"It is unfortunate. But we have nothing to do, as workers of other countries are also being deported by these M-E countries," Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen told the FE while commenting on the issue.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the Bangladeshi workers are being treated inhumanly in various detention centres. Most of them surrendered to local police on assurance that they would be given proper food and accommodation before deportation.
An official stationed in the Bangladesh mission in Kuwait admitted that there are incidents of mismanagement in the detention centres.
"Many alleged that they are not given sufficient food. We have conveyed their complaints to the authorities concerned."
These Bangladeshis were informed by the Kuwait government, through a circular issued on April 2, that if they surrender, they will be provided with employment when situation will be normal, he noted.
Former finance adviser A B Mirza Azizul Islam said the return of such a huge number of workers will impact the country's remittance earning.
The government should gear up diplomatic efforts, so that the number of deportees can be reduced, he opined.
Last week, Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed said around 0.1 million Bangladeshis returned home since the coronavirus outbreak.
Foreign Minister Dr Momen said the government is continuing diplomatic efforts, so that these workers are deported phase by phase.
After arriving in Bangladesh they have to remain in quarantine. Armed Forces Division and Ministry of Health are supervising the quarantine process, he added.
About the miseries of Bangladeshi workers in the detention centres, the minister said all the missions concerned have been given strict instructions to address the issue.
Middle East is the home of around 3.0 million Bangladeshi workers, who are 75 per cent of the total Bangladeshi expatriate workers.
